Bacteria carried by unneutered dogs could put pregnant women at risk.

Bacteria carried by unneutered dogs could put pregnant women at risk. Intact dogs can carry Brucella canis bacteria, which can cause flu-like symptoms in people and pose risk to a pregnancy, according to a study in Emerging Infectious Diseases. Brucellosis infections can cause miscarriages in animals and are associated with fetal problems in pregnant women, and the CDC says pregnant women who may have been exposed to the bacteria should consult their health care provider. A bacteria carried by dogs that haven't been neutered can produce flu symptoms in humans and potentially jeopardize a pregnancy, a new study suggests. Brucellosis infection is most commonly spread by livestock like sheep, cattle, goats and pigs. But a strain of the bacterium carried by dogs -- Brucella canis -- could be widespread in humans, warned lead researcher Martha Hensel, a veterinarian with Texas A&M University. B. canis is carried by dogs that can still reproduce, Hensel noted. It's not clear exactly how the bacteria might spread to humans, but it's most likely passed through contact with reproductive organs or urine. People who regularly handle such dogs -- vets, dog shelter employees, dog breeders -- are most at risk for contracting brucellosis, Hensel said. However, pet ownership is a likely risk factor for infection, particularly for young children and people with compromised immune systems, Hensel and her colleagues explained. The researchers highlighted some case studies: 1) A 3-year-old New York City girl came down with brucellosis in 2012 after exposure to an infected puppy recently purchased from a pet store. 2)Several people with HIV have developed brucellosis in recent years, all linked to intact dogs they owned that were later diagnosed with B. canis infection. more